Guilty Gear for the Sony PlayStation 1 is a classic 2D fighting game released in 1998 that launched the popular franchise. It is known for its fast gameplay, unique characters, and heavy metal soundtrack, and is available today as a collectible physical item or a digital download on modern platforms. 

The original Guilty Gear (1998) for PS1, also known as The Missing Link, serves as the foundational lore for the entire franchise. Set in the year 2180, it focuses on the Second Sacred Order Tournament, a high-stakes event meant to stop the resurrection of a global threat.

The Backstory: The Crusades

Mankind traded technology for magic after a catastrophic event, leading to the creation of Gears—powerful biological weapons. Eventually, a self-aware Gear named Justice led a massive revolt against humanity, sparking a century-long war known as the Crusades. The war ended when Justice was sealed in a dimensional prison by the Sacred Order of Holy Knights. 

The Plot: The Tournament

Five years after the Crusades, Justice’s seal begins to weaken. Fearing her return, the Union of Nations hosts a fighting tournament to select a new squad of Holy Knights. 

• The Ruse: The tournament is actually a trap orchestrated by the Gear Testament (and secretly the Conclave). They intended to use the blood of the combatants as a sacrifice to break Justice’s seal.
• The Climax: The bounty hunter Sol Badguy defeats Testament, but Justice is still successfully unsealed. Sol then faces Justice in a final, brutal duel. 

Canon Ending & Key Reveals

While every character has their own ending, the canon conclusion belongs to Sol Badguy: 

• The Victory: Sol kills Justice. As she dies, she regains her memories and mentions “the three of us” (referring to herself, Sol, and the creator known as That Man), hinting at their shared past.
• Sol’s Identity: It is revealed that Sol is actually Frederick, a scientist from the original Gear Project and a prototype Gear who cannot be controlled by Justice.
• Character Fates:
  • Ky Kiske: Sol’s rival, begins to doubt his rigid sense of justice after hearing Justice’s dying words.
  • Kliff Undersn: The legendary leader of the Holy Knights dies of old age or injuries after one last fight with Justice.
  • Dr. Baldhead: The former serial killer regains his sanity and later becomes the benevolent, if eccentric, Faust.